It is known that pickup trucks and other related vehicles have a rear window, or backlite, that is mounted in the vehicle body opening, often immediately behind seats in the vehicle passenger compartment. Typically, such backlites are supplied to vehicle manufacturers as a one piece or as a stand-alone frame assembly for installation in new vehicles being manufactured on an assembly line.
In some of these vehicles, the backlite is provided with a sliding panel mechanism and a seal system (commonly known as a slider), which opens and closes over an opening in the backlite, so as to allow, for example, outside air to enter the vehicle compartment and to allow for passing of objects through the backlite opening. Sliders, in which a sliding panel moves in either a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, typically comprise at least one sliding panel that utilizes, for example, frame channels, rails, or tracks to facilitate sliding motion. In addition, a frame, with an attached seal(s), acts to seal out moisture and noise from entering the vehicle compartment at the periphery of the backlite.
It is common for the stand-alone backlite assembly to be molded and subsequently mounted into the vehicle body opening in the vehicle body frame, where the backlite assembly is secured to the vehicle body opening with adhesives and/or mechanical fastening devices, for example, studs. A urethane adhesive is frequently used in backlite applications, such adhesive being applied to a mounting surface of the vehicle body opening and/or the backlite assembly, prior to the moment at which these two structures are brought into bonding contact.
In addition to the slider panel, some of the vertical slider assemblies have two fixed panels (hence, they are known as partial sliders), which typically are positioned on either side of the backlite opening. Each fixed panel has a substantially vertically oriented panel edge, on which a vertical track and/or division post are often disposed.
Typically for the horizontal sliders, the backlite opening is further defined by an upper header member and a lower beltline support member. In addition, for the horizontal sliders, the slider panel is typically moved in a horizontal direction behind one or both of the fixed panels that span the vehicle opening (along horizontal tracks that are commonly disposed on or near the fixed panels) and then, is moved to cover the backlite opening. These movements of the sliding panel may be provided by manual or electro-mechanical means.
Some slider assemblies are further designated as being flush where the sliding panel is in the plane of the fixed panel(s), when the sliding panel completely closes the backlite opening, or the complete window assembly may be in the plane of a vehicle body panel. Various ways to achieve flush orientation to fixed panels are, for example, by utilizing guide pins, ramps, and cams to move the sliding panel into the backlite opening.
An example of a horizontal slider that moves its sliding panel into the plane of a fixed panel, when the sliding panel completely closes the backlite opening, is U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,224 to Jelens, who teaches a sliding window assembly having opposed longitudinally spaced first and second guide pins on the top and the bottom of a slidable window that are adapted for sliding motion within corresponding first and second tracks respectively, as shown, for example, in Jelens' FIGS. 2-5 and 7. As illustrated, for example, in Jelens' FIGS. 7, 9, and 10, the leading and trailing guide tracks complement one another by being laterally disposed across the sliding window assembly, wherein the trailing guide tracks are “S” shaped as the sliding panel enters the plane of the fixed panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,214 to Buening teaches a flush-closing multi-pane window assembly having upper and lower, left and right side guide pins disposed on top and bottom corners of a sliding pane. The guide pins slide within closely fitting guide channels, so as to minimize wind rattle and the like. The channels are cut to different depths, where pins of correspondingly different lengths slide within the guide channels. As illustrated, for example, in Buening's FIGS. 8A-B, the guide channels are utilized to substantially simultaneously move the sliding pane into and out of the window opening, wherein the trailing guide channels are “S” shaped as the sliding pane enters the plane of the fixed panes.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,284 to Freimark et al. discloses a sliding vehicle window assembly having fixed panels that are interconnected by upper and lower frame members or tracks. Projecting pins are disposed at upper and lower corners of a movable window panel that is utilized to open and close a window aperture in the vehicle window assembly. The projecting pins slide in upper and lower channels that are defined in the leading and trailing tracks, which are arranged in tandem or in an end-to-end alignment as shown, for example, in Freimark's FIGS. 5A-B. In conjunction with the pins and the channels, a cam is used to simultaneously move the movable window panel in and out of the window aperture, wherein the trailing tracks slope into the window aperture.
Although the above-described flush window assemblies might satisfy a current automotive industry styling need for aesthetically pleasing flush slider assembly designs, it does not appear that these designs have been utilized to any degree by the automotive industry in, for example, pickup trucks.
It further appears that this lack of automotive industry utilization may be due in part to the following reasons: a) the sliding motion between the slider panel and its mating paths/rails is hampered by wear and tear of the projecting pins rubbing on the interior sides and bottom/top of the paths, which in part is further hampered by dirt and moisture that builds up in the paths, b) it has been found in the present invention that “S” shaped trailing guide paths cause the slider panel to ramp too quickly and thus, not seal the backlite opening properly, resulting in a wide vertical gap, and c) the sealing-out of moisture, noise, and dirt between the slider panel and the assembly of the fixed panels, at the backlite opening, is not as complete as the automotive industry demands.
Hence, a flush multiple pane horizontal vehicle slider window assembly is sought that provides reliable, unencumbered sliding motion between the slider panel and the mating channels/rails, and which also provides reliable moisture, noise, and dirt control at the backlite opening. In addition, a slider is sought that would be considered flush-flush, wherein the slider is not only flush within itself (i.e., the sliding panel being in the same plane as the fixed panels) but the slider assembly would also be in the same plane as the outer vehicle body panel. Such a slider assembly would be aesthetically pleasing by giving the appearance of one continuous sheet of glass for a multi-pane window.